Pill-forming machine.



Patented Oct. 22, I90l. A. CULTON.

PILL FORMING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jim. 98, 1901'.)

5 Sheds-Sheet I.

(Nb Model.)

Attorneys.

WITNESSES. @M 7 N0. 684,9l2. Patented Oct. 22, I9OI. A. BOLTON.

PILL FORMING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 28, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1.7V; VENTOR.

W ITJVESSES.

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Attorneys.

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No. 684,9!2! Patented on. 22, IBM. A. CULTDN.

P|LL FORMING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

WITNESSES. 1.7V VEJVTOR.

ms nanms PETERS co.. noroumo, wnsnmarun, u. c.

No. 684,9l2. Patented Oct. 22, I90].

A. BOLTON.

PILLFOBMING MACHINE.

' (Application filed Jan. 28, 1901.) i (No Model.) 5 ShaeisFSheet 5.

'PE WI TJV'ESSES. I JV VEN T OR.

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ATENT ARTHUR COLTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

PILL-FORMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,913, dated October22, 1901.

Application filed January 28, 1901. Serial No. 44,981. No model- To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR CoLToN, a citiment in Pill-Forming Machines;and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and. use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to pill-forming machines; and it consists in theimprovements hereinafter described,,and pointed out in the claims.

The general operation of the machine embodying my invention is asfollows: The pill mass is first rolled into a cylindrical form, which isconventionally called the pipe. The pipe is then cut into shortcylindrical lengths and these short cylinders rolled betweenapproximately parallel surfaces, and thereby shaped into spherical form,after which they may be fed to a machine for reforming them into anovoid or ellipsoidal form.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe assembled machine looking at the side at which the various shaftsare supported. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same looking at the sideopposite to that shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at theend at the rightof Fig. 1 and at the left of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectionon the line 4 4 of Fig.2 looking from the lefthand side of the same.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper belt-supporting plate of thespherical pill-forming apparatus, together with a part of the apparatusused for producing a lateral reciprocating motion of such plates. Fig. 6is a perspective view of details of the plate adjusting mechanism. Fig.7 is a section on the lines 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a perspective viewof the upper beltsupporting plate of the pipe-rolling apparatus. Fig. 9is a perspective view illustrating details of the apparatus foradjusting the plate shown in Fig.8. Fig. 10 is a detail section on lines10 10, Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the pipe-cutting rolls.

m is a worm-wheel upon said sleeve.

- The same reference-letters indicate the samepart in all the views.

A is the base of the frame, and A A the legs supporting said base. B isa plate rising vertically upward from the edge of the base A at one sidethereof.

O O C C and D D are cylindrical rods fixed at one end in the plate B andextending at right angles thereto over the base A.

' E and F are frames consisting of flat plates e and f, with lugs a a bb and c c d d rising from their four corners. Said lugs support pulleysG H and I J in such a position that if the faces of the plates 6 f wereextended they would be tangent to their adjacent pulleys.

g is a belt, preferably of rubber, passing around the pulleys G H andagainst the outer face of the plate e. l

h is a device for adjusting the distance apart of the pulleys G H, sothat the tension of the belt g may be regulated. j

tie a belt passing around the pulleys I J and against the outer face ofthe plate f.

j is an adjusting device similar to h.

K L are lateral flanges on the frames E F. In the flanges K are formedvertical slots it, through which the rods C C extend.

7c represents lugs extending inward from the flanges 7; at right anglesthereto at each end of the slots 75.

Z represents circular apertures through the flanges L, through which therods D? D extend.

M represents sleeves, one of which is on each of the rods D and D m mare eccentrics upon the sleeve M, and The eccentrics m m fit into theapertures Z.

m is a worm gearing with the wormwheel m m is the shaft upon which isthe worm m The shaft m turns in hearings on the-frame F and is providedwith a hand-wheel m By turning the hand-wheel m the sleeves M arerotated and the frame F raised or lowered by means of the eccentrics mm.

The mechanism for raising and lowering.

the frame E is the same as that just described for the frame F, exceptthat the vertically elongated slots k engage upon opposite sides ofthearbors O and G The sleeve N is located entirely between the flangesK. The eccentrics an engage the faces of the lugs and the Worm-wheel nworm n shaft 71, and hand-wheel n are all located between the flanges K.

P is a stationary frame secured to the plate B and extending at rightangles thereto beneath and adjacent to the frame F. It is notadjustable, but is secured rigidly to the plate 13. The frame P is ofthe same construction as the frame F and is provided with correspondingpulleys P P belt 1), face-platep,

and adjuster 12 Q, is a frame entirely similar to the frame E, exceptthat the adjusting mechanism is omitted. The plate Q is provided withpulleys Q Q belt q, face-plate g, adjuster g answering to thecorresponding parts of the frame E and is adapted to reciprocatelongitudinally to the rods O 0 upon said rods. The frame Q, is locatedbeneath and adjacent to the frame E, with its plate q parallel andadjacent to the plate 6. The flanges Q Q have apertures Q formed inthem, through which pass the rods 0 C R R R are three lever-armsextending from the rock-shaft 4', which is pivoted in a lug extendingfrom the plate 13.

r r are. lugs extending from the frames E and Q, respectively.

0" and r are connecting-rods extending, respectively, from the outer endof the arm R to the lug 1' upon the frame E and from the outer end ofthe arm R to thelug 7 upon the frame Q.

S is a shaft resting in bearings under the baseAand extendingtransversely across the machine.

S is a driving-pulley upon the shaft S.

S is an eccentric upon the shaft S.

S is an eccentric-rod engaging with the cocentric S at one end and witha sleeve .9, around the arm R, at the other end.

5 s are adjustable collars upon the arm R at each end of the sleeve 5.The sleeve .9 may be moved to different positions along the arm R bymoving the collars s s to different positions. When the shaft S isrotated, the arm R is caused to oscillate by the eccentric S and rod SThe extent of the oscillation of the arm B may be regulated by movingthe sleeve 3 along said arm.

T T are rolls bearing in the frame of the machine and provided withregistering peripheral cutting flanges t. Said cuttingflangcs come closetogether or are tangent, as shown in Fig. 11, and their peripheries arepreferably finely'notehed.

t is a gear-wheel upon the same shaft as the roller T, and t is agearwheel upon the same shaft as the roller T.

t is a gear-wheel intermediate between the gear-wheels '25 and 15 .Bythe chain of gearing t t 25 the rollers T T are constrained to turn inopposite directions.

S is a pulley upon the shaft S, and P is a pulley upon the same shaft asthe pulley P p is a belt passing around the pulleys P and S, so as tocommunicate motion from the latter to the former.

P is a pulley upon the same shaft as the pulley P 1,

T is a pulley upon the same shaft as the roller T.

t is a belt passing around the pulleys P and T, so as to communicatemotion from the former to the latter.

P is a third pulley upon the same shaft as the pulley P 7 J is a pulleyupon the same shaft as the roller J.

J is a belt passing around the pulleys P J, so as to communicate motionfrom the former to the latter.

S is a gear-Wheel upon the shaft S.

U is a counter-shaft resting in hearings on the base A parallel to theshaft S.

U is a gear-wheel upon the shaft U, its teeth meshing with the teeth ofthe gearwheel S.

U is an elliptical pulley upon the shaft U.

G is a pulley upon the same shaft as the pulley Gr, and Q is a pulleyupon the same shaft as the pulley G.

V is a belt passing over the elliptical pulley U and the pulley G2 and QW is a lever pivoted to the base having a pulley 10 at one end and aweight 102 at the other end. The lever \V acts to take up any slack thatwould otherwise be in the belt V.

X is a device having two relatively rotatable disks with registeringsemi-elliptical grooves in their adjacent-faces and adapted to take thespherical pills that feed from the rest of the mechanism shown and formsaid pillsinto an ellipsoidal form. This machine is shown and fullydescribed in my application, Serial No. 40,712, filed December 22, 1900,and pending contemporaneously with this.

The operation of the above-described machine is as follows: The power isapplied to the pulley S", which causes the shaft S to rotate. Therotation of the shaft S is communicated to the pulley P through the belt19, and the rotation of the pulley P rotates the pulley P and thepulleys P and P which are on the same shaft with it. The motion of thepulley P is communicated to the belt 19, and thereby to the pulley P.Rotary motion is communicated to the cutting-rollers T T by a belt tpassing over the pulleys P and T. Motion is communicated to the roller Jby a belt J passing over the pulleys J P. The motion of the pulley J iscommunicated to the belt '5, and thereby to the pulley I. It will benoticed that the adjacent parts or strands of the belts i and 9 run inopposite directions, as indicated by the arrows, Fig. 2. The pulley J 2should be larger than the pulley P, so that the Velocity of the belt 2'shall be less than that of the beltp. The rotation of the shaft Scommunicates motion to the counter-shaft U through the gear-wheels S U.The shaft U carries with it the elliptical pulley U The rotation of thepulley U drives with a continuously-varying velocity the belt V, whichdrives the pulley G and thereby the pulley G, and the pulley Q, andthereby the pulley Q. The motion of the pulley Gr is communicated to thebelt g, and there by to the pulley H, and the motion of the pulley Q iscommunicated to the belt q, and thereby to the pulley Q It will benoticed that the motion of the adjacent parts or strands of the belts gand q are in opposite directions and that the velocity of the belt q isthe greater, because the pulley Q is smaller than the pulley G Theoscillation of the levers R R R reciprocates the frames E and Q in adirection lateral to the machine, which frames carry with them thepulleys G H and Q Q, plates e and q, and the belts passing around saidpulleys and over said plates.

S is a pulley upon the shaft S, through which the machine X is operated.

The pill mass is fed by an attendant between the belts upon rolls J andP and is carried thereby between the platesfand 7 9,Which afiord asupport to said belts, so that they present an even surface. The mass isrolled into a pipe by said belts moving in opposite directions and isdropped out from between the,

rolls I P and is then fed between the cuttingrolls T T, which cut itinto short lengths, which are fed bygravity between the belts g and g,which are given, as above described, two relative motions in the sameplane, but at right angles to each other. This motion of the belts g andq rolls the small pieces of mass into a spherical form and allows themto drop out from between the rolls Q H into a trough or chute A by whichthey are carried to the forming-machine X and made into an ellipsoidalshape.

In machines for forming ellipsoidal pills by rolling the mass betweengrooved plates the smaller ends of the pills are apt to be leftunfinished and imperfect. By first shaping the pills into a sphericalform and then re-forming them the pills come out practically perfect,inasmuch as the original spherical form of the pill is veryapproximately that of the furnished pill, so that if the mass formingthe smaller ends is untouched by the re-forming machine it is still ofthe correct shape for all practical purposes.

By adjusting the distance apart of the plates P and F and the plates Qand E, pills of dilferent diameters, within, say, the scope of eightsizes, may be made with one set of cutting-rolls, as while rolls cut thepipe of the same length in all cases, the diameter of the pipe, andconsequently the amount of material in it, will vary in proportion tothe distance apart of the frames P F and of the frames Q F.

The above-described pill-forming machine does not require a skilledattendant. The

At the lower end of the yoke D there is an eccentric (1 provided with ahandle d By this eccentric and handle the frame F may be made accuratelyparallel to the frame 1?.

The lower face of the plate e is made slightly convex from end to end.The convexity is so slight that it does not show in the drawings.

The variable velocity given to the belts g A and g by the ellipticaldriver U makes the rotation of the pills certain, so that none of thepieces of mass become flattened and are carried in this shape throughthe machine.

By fastening the arbors 0, C C C D and D to the plate B at one end,leaving the other end free, I adapt the parts to be readily removed andreplaced for the purpose of oiling or cleaning.

I claim I 1. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of an adjustablemeans for forming the mass into cylindrical pipes of differentdiameters, means for dividing said pipes into short pieces, two paralleladjacent surfaces, means for giving said surfaces relative motion in twodirections, and means for varying the distance apart of said surfaces,substantially-as and for the purpose described. 2. 'In a pill-formingmachine, the combination of a belt passing around pulleys, a planesurface adjacent, and parallel to said belt, means for imparting alongitudinal motion to said belt, and means for producing a relativelateral motion between said belt and surface, substantiallyas and forthe purpose described. a

3. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of a frame, pulleyssupported by said frame, a belt passing around said pulleys, a planesurface adjacent. and parallel to said belt, means forimpartinglongitudinal motion to said belt and means forimparting lateralmotion to said frame, substantially as described.

4. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of a belt passing aroundpulleys, a plane surface adjacent and parallel to said belt, means forimparting a varying longitudinal motion to said belt, and means forproducing a relative lateral motion between said belt and surface,substantially as described.

5. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of a belt passing aroundpulleys, a plane surface adjacent and parallel to said belt, a beltadapted to drive one of said pulleys, and an elliptical pulley adaptedto drive the belt which drives one of said first-mentioned pulleys,substantially as described.

6. In a pill-forming machine, the combina tion of a frame, pulleyssupported by said ICO &

frame, a plane surface upon said frame between said pulleys and in aplane approximately tangent to said pulleys, a belt passing around saidpulleys and over said plane surface, a second plane surface adjacent,and parallel to said first-named plane surface, means for impartinglongitudinal motion to said belt, and means for imparting a lateralmotion to said frame, substantially as described.

7. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of the main frame, rods 0C", extending therefrom, a frame, E, adapted to slide longitudinally onsaid rods and adapted to be adjusted vertically with reference thereto,pulleys on the frame E, a belt passing around said pulleys, a planesurface adjacent, and approximately parallel to said belt, means forimparting a longitudinal movement to said belt and means for imparting areciproeating motion to the frame, E, in the direction of the length ofsaid rods, substantially as described.

8. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of the main frame of themachine, one or more rods C 0, fixed at one end in said main frame andfree from said main frame at the other end, a frame E, adapted to slideupon one or more of said rods from the free end thereof, pulleys on theframe E, a belt passing around said pulleys, means for giving said belta longitudinal movement, means for reciprocating the frame E,longitudinally on said rods, and a plane surface adjacent andapproximately parallel to said belt, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

9. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of a fixed cylindricalrod, or rods, 0, D a frame provided with pulleys, and a belt passingover said pulleys, one or more sleeves adapted to pass over said rod, orrods, eccentries on said sleeves engaging said frame and means forrotating said sleeves, substantially as described.

10. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of a fixed cylindricalrod or rods, 0, G a frame E, provided with vertically-elon gated slotsadapted to engage over said rods, sleeves adapted to engage over saidslide upon said rods, eccentrics upon said sleeves adapted to engagesaid frame, and means for rotating said sleeve, located upon said frame,substantially as described.

11. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of frames E, and Q,adapted to be reciprocated laterally, pulleys upon said frames, a beltpassing over the pulleys upon one of said frames, a belt passing overthe pulleys upon the other of said frames, said frames being so locatedthat said belts shall lie adjacent aud approximately parallel to eachother, means for giving each of said belts a longitudinal motion, andmeans for reciprocating each of said frames laterally, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of frames E, Q, adaptedto be reciprocated laterally, pulleys upon said fram es,a belt passingover the pulleys upon one of said frames, a belt passing over thepulleys upon the other of said frames, said frames being so located thatsaid belts shall lie adjacent and approximately parallel to each other,means for giving each of said belts a longitudinal motion, a leverpivoted between its ends, and adapted to swing in a plane cutting thedirection of motion ofsaid belts, one end of said lever being connectedto one of said frames and the other end to the other of said frames, andmeans for oscillating said lever, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a machine, forautoinatically making sphericalpills, a machine for rolling said spherical pills into an ellipsoidalform, and a means for receiving the spherical pills from the formermachine and delivering them to the latter, substantially as described.

14. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of two adjacent Hat andapproximately parallel surfaces, and means for imparting relative motionto saidsurfaces in two directions, substantially as shown and described.

15. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of two adjacent andapproximately parallel surfaces, means forimpart-in g relative motion tosaid surfaces in two directions, and

means for feeding the mass in small pieces of suitable volume, betweensaid surfaces, substantially as described.

16. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of frames E, and Q, oneor all of which being adapted tov be reciprocated laterally, pulleysupon said frames, a belt passing over the pulleys'upon one of saidframes, a belt passing over the pulleys upon the other of said frames,said frames being so located that said belts shall lie adjacent andapproximately parallel to each other, means for giving said beltslongitudinal motion in opposite directions and at different velocities,and means for producing a relative lateral motion of said frames,substantially as described.

17. In a pill-forming machine, the combination of frames E, and Q, oneor all of which being adapted to be reciprocated laterally, pulleys uponsaid frames, a belt passing over the pulley upon one of said frames, abelt passing over the pulley upon the other of said frames, said framesbeing so located that said belts shall lie adjacent and approximatelyparallel to each other, means for giving said belts a variablelongitudinal motion in opposite directions and at different aggregatevelocities, and means for producing a relative, lateral motion of saidframes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

ARTHUR COLTON.

Witnesses:

MAUDE M. KENNEDY, ELLIOTT J. STODDARD.

